1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments discussed herein are directed to a post-processing agent application control device, an image forming system, a post-processing agent application control method, and a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, image forming apparatuses that are used to output computerized information or to copy originals have been necessary devices. Among those image forming apparatuses, image forming apparatuses configured to apply a post-processing agent to the printed surface of a printed matter after printing are known.
With respect to such image forming apparatuses, it is necessary to reduce the amount of a post-processing gent to be applied in order to reduce the cost per page (CPP) and increase the dryness. A technique of applying a post-processing agent to only a printed area is already known (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-176997).
In the case where the post-processing agent is applied to only the printed area as with the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-176997, the post-processing agent may be applied to a shifted position from the printed area depending on the printing accuracy, the accuracy in applying the post-processing agent, and the accuracy in conveying a recording medium. In other words, the post-processing agent may be not necessarily applied to an area to which the post-processing agent is required to be applied. In order to prevent this, it is necessary, when the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-176997 is used, to apply the post-processing agent to an area wider than the printed area in consideration of the accuracy listed above.
When the post-processing agent is applied to an area wider than the printed area, however, there is a problem in that the post-processing agent is partly applied also to an area other than the printed area (hereinafter, referred to as an “unprinted area”) and accordingly a difference in glossiness occurs at the boundary between the unprinted area to which the post-processing agent is applied (hereinafter, “application area”) and the unprinted area to which the post-processing agent is not applied (hereinafter, “non-application area).